Prescription drugs cost least at Costco and most at CVS-study

March 28 (Reuters) - Some of the most popular prescription
drugs that recently became available in generic form are sold at
the lowest prices at Costco and at the highest prices
at CVS Caremark, according to an analysis by Consumer
Reports.

Failing to comparison shop for drugs - such as generic
Lipitor to lower cholesterol or generic Plavix to thin the blood
- could result in overpaying by $100 a month or even more,
depending on the drug, the report said.

The article will be available in the May issue of Consumer
Reports.

Consumers may find good deals at local independent
pharmacies, Consumer Reports said.

One of the big takeaway messages from the analysis is that
the customer must ask the pharmacist for the best price, the
publication said.

"Especially for the independent pharmacies, if they want to
retain your business and loyalty, they will help you get the
best price," Lisa Gill, an editor at Consumer Reports, said.

One reason for the wild cost fluctuations may be that
different types of stores have different business incentives,
she said.

"It really comes down to a store's business model. For
example, big box stores tend to use their pharmacies as a way to
get consumers through the door with the expectation that they'll
buy other things," Gill added.

Victor Curtis, senior vice president of pharmacy for Costco,
said the retailer does not sell below costs and that its
pharmacy is a contributor to Costco's overall profitability.

Consumer Reports conducted its analysis by using "secret
shoppers" who called more than 200 pharmacies throughout the
United States to get retail prices, without using insurance, on
a month's supply of five blockbuster drugs that have recently
become available as generics.